Delcy Rodríguez, acting president of Venezuela, has reported very limited communication with Nicolás Maduro, who is currently in U.S. federal prison. Rodríguez stated in a recent interview that she has received some messages for Maduro, but all communication has been facilitated through lawyers.
Rodríguez also addressed the topic of political prisoners in Venezuela. She noted that there are differing perspectives on the number of individuals considered political prisoners. She highlighted an amnesty law enacted to address political violence from 1999 to the present, citing incidents such as the 2002 coup against President Chávez and violent protests in 2014 and 2017. According to Rodríguez, nearly 900 people were released before the amnesty law, and an additional 9,000 were released under the law. Of those released under the amnesty, more than 400 were granted full freedom, while the remainder are subject to court-ordered reporting requirements.
Additionally, a process is underway to provide relief to individuals who do not qualify for the amnesty law, with over 500 people benefiting from this parallel initiative. Rodríguez indicated that Maduro views current events in Venezuela positively.
The interview took place at Miraflores Palace in Caracas, where Rodríguez also discussed her relationship with U.S. figures including President Trump and Marco Rubio.